To achieve something, you must have a goal. To achieve something GREAT, you must have a dream!
But how do you achieve your grand vision, your ultimate dream? By setting smaller goals and identifying the little baby steps along the way!
And a perfectly valid question...If you know what you want you want, but it's something you've never actually accomplished, how do you find your way? How do you know the steps to get there?
The best way to find out is to find a mentor. Find someone else who has accomplished the goal you want to accomplish. You may know them personally, or you may research and discover a person, or you may know of someone famous that you can study. Learn how they accomplished the goal. Find out what works, and what didn't work. Avoid the pitfalls they already discovered! You can stand on the shoulders of giants! You can step in the footprints of the great! Follow the path to success set before you by others who have also been successful.
Learn not only the steps to success, but learn the habits of the successful. Learn how they think. Most successful people have a positive mentality that takes each mistake and turns it into a lesson. They know to look above and beyond small failures and to keep their eyes on the prize..on that ultimate goal, that clear vision.
Life is a journey. Remember that with every step you take, you are moving towards something!! Is it towards your goal? Is it towards sabotage? Keep that dream, that vision, that goal in your mind as you take each step. And when you get there?? Make another goal!
What are YOU searching for? What are you moving towards? Enjoy your journey!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Workouts
I currently lift three days per week. I am getting ready to add some water aerobics classes and any other random cardio I decide to do (yeah, random is REALLY good for accomplishing goals, haha) up to three times a week and beach volleyball and all that.
My "day one" is legs:
Warm up:
3 sets/10 on leg extension, light weight
3 sets/10 hamstrings, light weight
Workout includes the following in any order:
Hack squat machine, 3 sets/12-15 (WB)
Squats, at least 3 sets/10 with increasing weight each set usually (WB)
Leg press, 3 sets/12-15
Calves, 3 sets/12 total reps. 4 reps toes in, 4 reps toes forward, 4 reps toes out each set
Leg extension individually, 3 sets/10 each side
Hamstrings individually, 3 sets/10 each side
Day Two: Back
I have started (usually) using a weight belt on my whole back day...it helps me learn/keep my posture. I DEFINITELY use it on my dead lifts.
Warm up (sort of)
High row machine, 3 sets/10
Low row machine, 3 sets/10
The following in any order:
Shrugs, 3 sets/10
Row, 3 sets/10
Lats, 3 sets/10
Lat cable pull down, 3 sets/10 with 3 second count on the pull down
Dead lift machine, 3 sets/10
Another lat exercise on the cable pull down if I feel like it...standing with arms straight, REALLY light weight and a flat handed push down from parallel to work the "bra fat" area :)
Maybe another row exercise...T-bar, free weights, whatever
Day Three: Chest
Warm up might be shoulder presses on the machine, really light weight to warm up the muscles, or just start on the bar...3 sets of 10 bench press with just the bar.
Bench press, sets of 10 reps to max. At max, partial presses are acceptable (just to parallel) and as many reps as possible.
Incline press, 3 sets/10
Shoulder presses, free weights 3 sets/10
Anterior shoulder presses, free weights 3 sets/10 (if I'm not blown out from everything else)
Rear delt presses on machine, 3 sets/10
Biceps, free weights or cable pull, 3 sets/10 each side
Triceps, 2 exercises, 3 sets/10 each exercise, each side. Could be nosebreakers, cable push down, the hard cable push down (less pulleys..harder to do!), machine, whatever.
That's about it. Of course, modifications are always possible...I recently added to my back day because it simply didn't challenge me as much anymore. My goal is enough weight to challenge the muscles but not stupid heavy. Those numbers are always changing as my muscle grows and gets used to the activities, and of course, there are "off" days where I just can't do as much as the day before...diet, sleep, mood, etc all play in to that.
It's pretty intense, but SO worth it when I get to show off my triceps or my legs :) Amazing how happy I am and how much I look forward to going to do these workouts!! I still feel a little guilty if I miss or have an off day...but I have learned to recognize that is just the Choleric in me and I try to ear better or plan to do a little extra the next time to make up for it.
My "day one" is legs:
Warm up:
3 sets/10 on leg extension, light weight
3 sets/10 hamstrings, light weight
Workout includes the following in any order:
Hack squat machine, 3 sets/12-15 (WB)
Squats, at least 3 sets/10 with increasing weight each set usually (WB)
Leg press, 3 sets/12-15
Calves, 3 sets/12 total reps. 4 reps toes in, 4 reps toes forward, 4 reps toes out each set
Leg extension individually, 3 sets/10 each side
Hamstrings individually, 3 sets/10 each side
Day Two: Back
I have started (usually) using a weight belt on my whole back day...it helps me learn/keep my posture. I DEFINITELY use it on my dead lifts.
Warm up (sort of)
High row machine, 3 sets/10
Low row machine, 3 sets/10
The following in any order:
Shrugs, 3 sets/10
Row, 3 sets/10
Lats, 3 sets/10
Lat cable pull down, 3 sets/10 with 3 second count on the pull down
Dead lift machine, 3 sets/10
Another lat exercise on the cable pull down if I feel like it...standing with arms straight, REALLY light weight and a flat handed push down from parallel to work the "bra fat" area :)
Maybe another row exercise...T-bar, free weights, whatever
Day Three: Chest
Warm up might be shoulder presses on the machine, really light weight to warm up the muscles, or just start on the bar...3 sets of 10 bench press with just the bar.
Bench press, sets of 10 reps to max. At max, partial presses are acceptable (just to parallel) and as many reps as possible.
Incline press, 3 sets/10
Shoulder presses, free weights 3 sets/10
Anterior shoulder presses, free weights 3 sets/10 (if I'm not blown out from everything else)
Rear delt presses on machine, 3 sets/10
Biceps, free weights or cable pull, 3 sets/10 each side
Triceps, 2 exercises, 3 sets/10 each exercise, each side. Could be nosebreakers, cable push down, the hard cable push down (less pulleys..harder to do!), machine, whatever.
That's about it. Of course, modifications are always possible...I recently added to my back day because it simply didn't challenge me as much anymore. My goal is enough weight to challenge the muscles but not stupid heavy. Those numbers are always changing as my muscle grows and gets used to the activities, and of course, there are "off" days where I just can't do as much as the day before...diet, sleep, mood, etc all play in to that.
It's pretty intense, but SO worth it when I get to show off my triceps or my legs :) Amazing how happy I am and how much I look forward to going to do these workouts!! I still feel a little guilty if I miss or have an off day...but I have learned to recognize that is just the Choleric in me and I try to ear better or plan to do a little extra the next time to make up for it.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
I am a weightlifter.
I am a weightlifter.
Yeah, me. In a gym. Enjoying myself (not really enjoying the time in the gym, as much as I enjoy looking in the mirror day after day at my muscular arms and legs!)...doing something (dare I say) athletic.
I don't remember how I felt about my body in high school. I don't remember ever thinking "I'm fat" or anything physically. I do remember, however, the moment food became an answer.
I broke my leg one summer, on a slip-n-slide. (Note: I can't imagine buying one of those things for my children. EVER.) It takes real talent to do that..lemme tell ya! But I remember sitting on the couch one day, bored, my leg hurting and keeping me from doing much, and being handed a snack. Goldfish. Or Cheese Nips. Or something like that. And CLICK...food became and answer. I'm bored....eat. I'm tired...eat. I'm happy...eat. I need to stay awake in class (college)...eat.
I still don't remember ever feeling "fat". I know I never looked like any models or anything, but I don't remember any social stigmas. I'm horrible at dieting...I hate depriving myself of something when I know it's available and I'm capable of getting it. I've never stuck with a workout schedule...until now.
I bought the "Insanity" program over a year ago, and I did the first 30 days. I knew about halfway through my mom and I were going on a cruise, so that would put a little kink in it, but hey, I could at least drop some pounds the month before! I rocked that thing out too. It's a HARD program, sports drill and basically all cardio. I dropped inches, changed sizes, felt great! Then my world fell apart.
My dad had a heart attack. Worrying about family trumps pushing to get an hour workout in, especially right about that time in the semester and getting ready to go on a cruise. I was stressed out, tired, worried...all enemies of workout because they suck the energy right out of you. Dad ended up being ok, Mom and I went on the cruise, and I came back home, unable to get back in the routine. Part of it was the fact that the second half of the "Insanity" workouts are unbelievably challenging to someone with my size and lack of core strength and stamina...they really ARE insane! So I got frustrated and quit. Not all at once...little by little I found excuses and reasoned myself out of using energy. I still played volleyball (beach) and walked the track with a friend...I just wasn't doing the level of calorie burning that I had been. The weight, the inches came back on...
Fast forward to the last week of May, 2011. I have been actively working out for 3 months. THREE MONTHS! About 8 weeks of 2x/week and the last 4 I've gone 3x/week. I'm a weightlifter. *grin* I own gloves, and a weight belt, and I do dead lifts and squats and I use "plates" (45 pounders) on several of my exercises. I feel like a ROCKSTAR! LOL!!! I look at my body and I can't believe what I've worked to achieve. I honestly can't wait until next week. We start THE DIET next week...Shawn has a powerlifting event at the end of August, and in a display of solidarity I'm going on his diet with him starting June first. I'm hoping to drop around 30 pounds over the next 3 months while still training and building/maintaining muscle. Whew!
It blows my mind to think that I am a happily active, gym-membership-using individual. I've never been able to accomplish this before, and I really hope that I never go back. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a lazy bum at times, and I LOVE some junky foods (pepperoni rolls at Gino's, anyone?!?!) but I'm SO looking forward to a brand new me by the end of summer!
The long term goal is a loss of around 70 pounds. My shorter term goal is the diet change over the next three months, a 30 pound (fat) loss, and to see what my max lifts can get to!!!
Current max:
Bench: 135--45/each
Squat: 105 (easy to increase...still relatively new to squatting the bar vs the hack squat machine)--30/each
Dead lift: 50 plus the sled (?)--25/each
Yeah, me. In a gym. Enjoying myself (not really enjoying the time in the gym, as much as I enjoy looking in the mirror day after day at my muscular arms and legs!)...doing something (dare I say) athletic.
I don't remember how I felt about my body in high school. I don't remember ever thinking "I'm fat" or anything physically. I do remember, however, the moment food became an answer.
I broke my leg one summer, on a slip-n-slide. (Note: I can't imagine buying one of those things for my children. EVER.) It takes real talent to do that..lemme tell ya! But I remember sitting on the couch one day, bored, my leg hurting and keeping me from doing much, and being handed a snack. Goldfish. Or Cheese Nips. Or something like that. And CLICK...food became and answer. I'm bored....eat. I'm tired...eat. I'm happy...eat. I need to stay awake in class (college)...eat.
I still don't remember ever feeling "fat". I know I never looked like any models or anything, but I don't remember any social stigmas. I'm horrible at dieting...I hate depriving myself of something when I know it's available and I'm capable of getting it. I've never stuck with a workout schedule...until now.
I bought the "Insanity" program over a year ago, and I did the first 30 days. I knew about halfway through my mom and I were going on a cruise, so that would put a little kink in it, but hey, I could at least drop some pounds the month before! I rocked that thing out too. It's a HARD program, sports drill and basically all cardio. I dropped inches, changed sizes, felt great! Then my world fell apart.
My dad had a heart attack. Worrying about family trumps pushing to get an hour workout in, especially right about that time in the semester and getting ready to go on a cruise. I was stressed out, tired, worried...all enemies of workout because they suck the energy right out of you. Dad ended up being ok, Mom and I went on the cruise, and I came back home, unable to get back in the routine. Part of it was the fact that the second half of the "Insanity" workouts are unbelievably challenging to someone with my size and lack of core strength and stamina...they really ARE insane! So I got frustrated and quit. Not all at once...little by little I found excuses and reasoned myself out of using energy. I still played volleyball (beach) and walked the track with a friend...I just wasn't doing the level of calorie burning that I had been. The weight, the inches came back on...
Fast forward to the last week of May, 2011. I have been actively working out for 3 months. THREE MONTHS! About 8 weeks of 2x/week and the last 4 I've gone 3x/week. I'm a weightlifter. *grin* I own gloves, and a weight belt, and I do dead lifts and squats and I use "plates" (45 pounders) on several of my exercises. I feel like a ROCKSTAR! LOL!!! I look at my body and I can't believe what I've worked to achieve. I honestly can't wait until next week. We start THE DIET next week...Shawn has a powerlifting event at the end of August, and in a display of solidarity I'm going on his diet with him starting June first. I'm hoping to drop around 30 pounds over the next 3 months while still training and building/maintaining muscle. Whew!
It blows my mind to think that I am a happily active, gym-membership-using individual. I've never been able to accomplish this before, and I really hope that I never go back. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a lazy bum at times, and I LOVE some junky foods (pepperoni rolls at Gino's, anyone?!?!) but I'm SO looking forward to a brand new me by the end of summer!
The long term goal is a loss of around 70 pounds. My shorter term goal is the diet change over the next three months, a 30 pound (fat) loss, and to see what my max lifts can get to!!!
Current max:
Bench: 135--45/each
Squat: 105 (easy to increase...still relatively new to squatting the bar vs the hack squat machine)--30/each
Dead lift: 50 plus the sled (?)--25/each
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Warning: Stolen material inside!!!
So I stole this:
Here's what you do if you store Lower Body (or Low Back) Fat:
Estrogen is a sex hormone. Men and women have it,
but in varying amounts. Increased estrogen stores,
relative to testosterone, are linked with lower body
and low back fat storage patterns. In this case, you
might be wondering why your upper body gets thinner,
but your legs seem to stay the same size. It's a good
thing that we have a hormonal manipulation expert
amongst our friends, as Roman and I have come up
with 2 great solutions for you. Immediately, we'd
like you to start density training, following Roman's
protocols; however, after you lose some unsightly
bodyfat quickly, we're going to quickly transition
you over to a program that focuses a little bit more
on building muscle. This way, we trigger your body
into understanding that it's time to produce even
more testosterone.
Now, let's teach you what to do if you store Belly Fat:
Cortisol is a stress hormone. Everyone has it, and
it's most common symptom is waking up between
2-3am at night, even if you fall back asleep. If you
have elevated cortisol (i.e. you're stressed out and
have been for awhile), it's a good bet that you're
storing more belly fat that you need to be. The
best thing you can do for this, according to Roman,
is fight cortisol with growth hormone by
Lactic Acid Training. I'd also suggest that you
work on your stress directly, with the
3 Step Stress Reduction Plan and alternating
agonist/antagonist exercises while performing a circuit.
'On' days, you'll work directly on the belly fat, 'Off'
days you'll work directly on your stress.
What if you store Hip Fat/Love Handles?
Insulin is a hormone related to the amount of sugar
you consume on a daily basis and how well your
body processes this sugar. The most common symptom
for increased levels of insulin on the body is love handles,
although when insulin sensitivity becomes a disorder
(i.e. Diabetes), there are much more serious consequences.
The "counter" hormone for insulin is IGF-1, which is
stimulated through Roman's 'Dynamic Training' method,
which is a ton of fun, and more similar to how I train on
a regular basis. I may also recommend that you sneak in
some afternoon workouts, for just 15 minutes, and do some
super high intensity stuff that burns up all of the excess sugars.
Doing this 3x/week for a month while also building in some
'dynamic training' is a perfect way to say goodbye to your
love handles on a more permanent basis.
But here's the source: www.finalphasefatloss.com
SUCH good info! Different hormones and different ways of eating can definitely make a difference. More on this shortly....
Dr. R
Here's what you do if you store Lower Body (or Low Back) Fat:
Estrogen is a sex hormone. Men and women have it,
but in varying amounts. Increased estrogen stores,
relative to testosterone, are linked with lower body
and low back fat storage patterns. In this case, you
might be wondering why your upper body gets thinner,
but your legs seem to stay the same size. It's a good
thing that we have a hormonal manipulation expert
amongst our friends, as Roman and I have come up
with 2 great solutions for you. Immediately, we'd
like you to start density training, following Roman's
protocols; however, after you lose some unsightly
bodyfat quickly, we're going to quickly transition
you over to a program that focuses a little bit more
on building muscle. This way, we trigger your body
into understanding that it's time to produce even
more testosterone.
Now, let's teach you what to do if you store Belly Fat:
Cortisol is a stress hormone. Everyone has it, and
it's most common symptom is waking up between
2-3am at night, even if you fall back asleep. If you
have elevated cortisol (i.e. you're stressed out and
have been for awhile), it's a good bet that you're
storing more belly fat that you need to be. The
best thing you can do for this, according to Roman,
is fight cortisol with growth hormone by
Lactic Acid Training. I'd also suggest that you
work on your stress directly, with the
3 Step Stress Reduction Plan and alternating
agonist/antagonist exercises while performing a circuit.
'On' days, you'll work directly on the belly fat, 'Off'
days you'll work directly on your stress.
What if you store Hip Fat/Love Handles?
Insulin is a hormone related to the amount of sugar
you consume on a daily basis and how well your
body processes this sugar. The most common symptom
for increased levels of insulin on the body is love handles,
although when insulin sensitivity becomes a disorder
(i.e. Diabetes), there are much more serious consequences.
The "counter" hormone for insulin is IGF-1, which is
stimulated through Roman's 'Dynamic Training' method,
which is a ton of fun, and more similar to how I train on
a regular basis. I may also recommend that you sneak in
some afternoon workouts, for just 15 minutes, and do some
super high intensity stuff that burns up all of the excess sugars.
Doing this 3x/week for a month while also building in some
'dynamic training' is a perfect way to say goodbye to your
love handles on a more permanent basis.
But here's the source: www.finalphasefatloss.com
SUCH good info! Different hormones and different ways of eating can definitely make a difference. More on this shortly....
Dr. R
Saturday, April 30, 2011
I'm a BLOGGER???
I was literally in the shower the other day and thought, "I'm going to start a blog!" Everyone knows the shower is where all grand ideas begin, so hopefully this will be a grand adventure!
My intention is to share the bits of knowledge that I obtain that I often feel the world would benefit from if I disseminate. I call this "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" because my tidbits often are about health-wellness-nutrition kind of stuff, but sometimes will be my views on life, politics, religion, etc. So I picked something all-encompassing that I can twist any way I want to. ;)
Welcome to my madness...to the twisting turning depths of my mind...did someone bring a flashlight?
My intention is to share the bits of knowledge that I obtain that I often feel the world would benefit from if I disseminate. I call this "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" because my tidbits often are about health-wellness-nutrition kind of stuff, but sometimes will be my views on life, politics, religion, etc. So I picked something all-encompassing that I can twist any way I want to. ;)
Welcome to my madness...to the twisting turning depths of my mind...did someone bring a flashlight?
Coco-I'm-a-nut
So one of those things I feel I must share is information about fats and diet and saturated fats and heart health. It stems from my dad having a heart attack over a year ago and my eyes being opened to the world of the AHA (American Heart Association) from the eyes of a patient/patient's family vs my previous view as a physician.
But that's a story for another day...all I really want to post about now is coconut oil. I love this stuff! It's a saturated fat and it's a medium chain triglyceride. If you simply Google "medium chain triglyceride" you will find a WEALTH of information. The best thing I can tell you about MCTs is they don't require bile to emulsify them (yay if you don't have a gallbladder!), and they diffuse into the blood directly, which means the cells in your digestive tract don't have to work to absorb them and they don't have to be "packaged" as HDL or LDLs! They are instant energy and not going to be stored as excess fat in most cases. It can actually lead to weight LOSS!
In particular, I am amazed at the reaction to "saturated fats"...say this phrase to any Joe Schmo and watch the facial expressions of horror begin! Ask Joe why he reacts negatively and he will usually not be able to give you a good reason other than "they say they're bad."
Here's a really good description of saturated fats. Even though it's a prostate page, the definitions and descriptions are very well done, even for the lay-person (I think...).
So back to the coconut oil. This stuff is awesome. No taste or smell of coconut. Great to cook with and stands up to heat very well. IMHO healthier than olive oil. And you should taste the brownies, chicken, fish, pasta, green beans, etc with a little bit of this stuff drizzled over, cooked in, or made with!! People actually "take" this stuff a spoonful at a time (not me) as a supplement.
Oh, and take a look at lauric acid...one of the fatty acids that are part of coconut oil. AMAZING benefits with that stuff too!!
This is by no means a complete description of this stuff. I just have to get some thoughts started...to either start conversations or remind me to come back and post more later.
But that's a story for another day...all I really want to post about now is coconut oil. I love this stuff! It's a saturated fat and it's a medium chain triglyceride. If you simply Google "medium chain triglyceride" you will find a WEALTH of information. The best thing I can tell you about MCTs is they don't require bile to emulsify them (yay if you don't have a gallbladder!), and they diffuse into the blood directly, which means the cells in your digestive tract don't have to work to absorb them and they don't have to be "packaged" as HDL or LDLs! They are instant energy and not going to be stored as excess fat in most cases. It can actually lead to weight LOSS!
In particular, I am amazed at the reaction to "saturated fats"...say this phrase to any Joe Schmo and watch the facial expressions of horror begin! Ask Joe why he reacts negatively and he will usually not be able to give you a good reason other than "they say they're bad."
Here's a really good description of saturated fats. Even though it's a prostate page, the definitions and descriptions are very well done, even for the lay-person (I think...).
So back to the coconut oil. This stuff is awesome. No taste or smell of coconut. Great to cook with and stands up to heat very well. IMHO healthier than olive oil. And you should taste the brownies, chicken, fish, pasta, green beans, etc with a little bit of this stuff drizzled over, cooked in, or made with!! People actually "take" this stuff a spoonful at a time (not me) as a supplement.
Oh, and take a look at lauric acid...one of the fatty acids that are part of coconut oil. AMAZING benefits with that stuff too!!
This is by no means a complete description of this stuff. I just have to get some thoughts started...to either start conversations or remind me to come back and post more later.
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